We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance (see 1 Ne. 1:20).
-Elder David A. BednarOf the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Monday, May 26, 2008

Family Ties

"So much of what is great has sprung from the closeness of family ties," -James M. Barrie



New Friends! Left to right Abbi, Lizzy, Claire, & Abigail, these cute little girls are all second cousins.


I am one of the lucky one who has been blessed with really close family ties. I'm not just talking about my brothers and sisters and I, I'm talking about my dad his brother and sister, their kids (my cousins), and their kids kids (my cousins kids). This weekend was my cousin Joe's mission fairwell, a very good reason for the Jensen and Bagleys to get together and party, eat, visit, and play games. So four generations of us gathered together in Rexburg at the Bagley farm and strenghthened our family ties. I'm not talking about going to sacrament meeting and then spending couple hours there after church, I'm talking about getting there for lunch on Saturday and staying untill after dinner on Sunday when we had to rip ourselves away.
It was getting time for dinner and it was rainingand we were heading down the street to the church so we would all have room to sit and eat. Some one made a comment about how big the family was getting, I jokingly made the comment that we were to big now I guess we would have to stop getting together. That didn't go over well there was a resounding, NO!! I whole heartedly agree. I love my family. I am gratful to parents and aunts and uncles who took the extra time and effort to bring us together so those relationships could be built and flourish and for all those cousins who are now married with kids of their own, who take the same time and effort to make sure those relationships stay strong.

I do believe there were about 55 fo us there.


Twins?

Brothers?

No, cousins. My brother's little boy Caleb is on the left and my little boy Gideon is on the right.



Most of my family out on the farm. We couldn't get Lizzy off the Tramp.


Bonus: I got to introduce my children to one of my favorite childhood memories, playing on the farm.
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1 comment:

Jessica said...

I love your pictures you picked of the weekend. It really showed the closeness that we do have. I am so grateful to have cousins so close. On the Bagley side it isn't like that for some of the older cousins. I feel more like an aunt or that weird lady that shows up every once and a while to a family activity. OH!! You left Gideon's pjs here. What do you want me to do with them?

May 27, 2008 at 9:14 AM

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